Mosaic composite sheet composed of a new type of greeting cards

ABSTRACT

Mosaic composite sheet composed of a new type of greeting cards which are manufactured from tough, pliable fabric and have flaps thereon coated with adhesive on the inward faces. The mosaic composite sheet which is created by interconnecting type of greeting cards by means of the flaps can be used as table-cloth, drapery, bedspread, item of clothing or the like.

Waited States Patent 1191 Lau [11] 3,827,170 Aug. 6, 1974 [76] Inventor: Dicksen T. W. Lau, 450 17th Ave.,

San Francisco, Calif 94121 [22] Filed: Jan. 22, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 325,821

Related U.S. Application Data [63] Continuation of Ser. No. 885,893, Dec. 17, 1909.

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 367,325 10/1906 France 229/928 74 117 11/1960 France 283/1 B 648,275 10/1962 1ta1y 4()/124.1

Primary Examiner-J. H. Wolff 1 1 ABSTRACT Mosaic composite sheet composed of a new type of greeting cards which are manufactured from tough,

zg i i pliable fabric and have flaps thereon coated with ad 58 i R 1594 hesive on the inward faces. The mosaic composite 1 w 0 care 22/92 2 sheet which is created by interconnecting type of greeting cards by means of the flaps can be ased as ta- References Cited lbiii-cloth, drapery, bedspread, item of clothing or the UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,268,391 6/1918 Schepmoes 35/27 1 Clam" Drawmg Flglres MOSAIC COMPOSITE SHEET COMPOSED OF A NEW TYPE OF GREETING CARDS This application is a continuation application of the copending application bearing Ser. No. 885,893, filed on Dec. 17, 1969 entitled NEW GREETING CARDS.

This invention relates to mosaic composite sheet composed of a new type of greeting cards which are improved both in the material to be used and in the mode of manufacture.

The material most commonly used for making conventional greeting cards is either stiff paper or thin paperboard. Sometimes cloth, silk and synthetic textile mounted on cardboard are also used. Because of the stiffness of these materials, the conventional greeting cards can not be folded or rolled up without damage. The material used for the new type of greeting cards of my invention is of less stiffness but more toughness than that used for the conventional greeting cards. This new type of greeting cards can be folded or rolled up very easily without any damage to the cards.

As to the improvement in the mode of manufacture, the structure of this new type of greeting cards possesses three novel aspects which conventional greeting cards do not have. First, the new cards include four narrow flaps at the four edges thereof. Secondly, a coating of strong adhesive is applied to the inner face of each flap except a small triangular portion at the tip of each flap. Finally, a stiff paper or plastic cover sheet having the same size of the greeting card is attached to one flap either at the top or at the right-hand side of said greeting card. The top, bottom, right-hand side and left-hand side of a greeting card are referred to the positions of the four edges of that greeting card when its picture is erect and facing the viewer.

The main object of my invention is to broaden the usefulness of greeting cards. The mosaic composite sheets which are created by interconnecting the new greeting cards can be utilized as tablecloths, draperies, bedspreads, decorative scrolls, items of clothing or the likev These articles can be used in the homes of the greeting cards recipients to provide very proper and attractive decorations for seasonal events.

Another object of my invention is to improve the method of displaying greeting cards. Instead of placing the greeting cards on tables and shelves at the expense of much needed living space, or of taping them on windows and walls and possibly causing unsightly marks, or of hanging them on twine or across Christmas trees, these new greeting cards can be displayed very effectively when they are interconnected into mosaic composite sheets to be utilized as mentioned above.

A still another object of my invention is to make stor* age of the cards easier by simply folding or rolling the mosaic composite sheets composed of this new type of greeting cards into folds or rolls of appropriate sizes. This cannot be done with the conventional greeting cards because of the quality of their materials and the forms of their construction.

A further object of my invention is to prolong the effect of the best wishes and kind regards carried by the greeting cards. Because of the easy storage of the mosaic composite sheets, this type of greeting cards can be preserved for very long time. These well preserved greeting cards not only can bring back to the recipients the greetings and memories of the senders when said greeting cards are subsequently reviewed, but also can cultivate a friendship among the descendants of the senders and recipients when said greeting cards are eventually reviewed by the future generations. This can not be achieved by the conventional greeting cards.

A still further object of my invention is to keep the addresses of the senders always with the greeting cards. This will avoid confusion during the rushed Christmas period or the busy hour of a birthday party when a person receives many greeting cards at the same time and some of the envelopes on which the senders addresses are always written become misplaced or lost. By this invention the recipient can always find the addresses of all senders very easily no matter how much time has elapsed even some of the envelopes are lost.

These objects and other features of the invention will appear more clearly from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 shows a square greeting card with its four flaps opened outward and its cover sheet opened upward.

FIG. 2 is a slide view of FIG. 1, with its flaps and cover sheet tilted toward the front.

FIG. 3 shows FIG. I in folded condition.

FIG. 4 shows a rectangular greeting card with its four flaps opened outward and its cover sheet opened upward. Its longer dimension is in a horizontal position when its picture is erect.

FIG. 5 is a side view of FIG. 4 with its flaps and cover sheet tilted toward the front.

FIG. 6 shows FIG. 4 in folded condition.

FIG. 7 shows a rectangular greeting card with its four flaps opened outward and its cover sheet opened sideward. Its longer dimension is in a vertical position when its picture is erect.

FIG. 8 is a side view of FIG. 7 with its flaps and cover sheet tilted toward the front.

FIG. 9 shows FIG. 7 in folded condition.

FIG. 10 illustrates a mosaic composite sheet which is created by interconnecting the square greeting cards shown in FIG. 1, each with an independent picture. Mosaic composite sheet composed of rectangular greeting cards with independent pictures as those shown in FIGS. 4 and 7 can be created in the same manner.

Though the picture on a greeting card always represents an independent image or conception by itself, some greeting cards may have their pictures designed to be the constituent parts of a large integral picture. Taking the Nativity scene commonly printed on Christmas cards as an example. The Wisemen and the Star, the Holy Infant and the Manger, the kneeling Mother and the Father, all can be printed separately each as an independent picture on a Christmas card. By juxtaposing the border lines of these separately printed pictures, they also can be incorporated into a large picture of the Nativity scene. FIG. 11 illustrates a mosaic composite sheet made by this process. It is created by interconnecting the square greeting cards shown in FIG. 1. It also can be created by interconnecting the rectangular greeting cards shown in FIGS. 4 and 7. The pictures of the component greeting cards must be the constituent parts of the integrated picture on the resulting mosaic composite sheet.

FIG. 12 illustrates a mosaic composite sheet which is created by interconnecting greeting cards of different shapes and sizes and with different independent pictures.

Referring in greater detail to the drawings in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the twelve figures, the numeral 1 is used to indicate the border lines of the picture printed on the greeting card. The term picture herein denotes the image or visual conception made by drawing, painting or photography of an object either living or lifeless. It also denotes an artistic graphical design made up of lines and shapes.

The edges 2 define the greeting card proper therein flaps 3 are to be folded. On the inward face of each flap 3, a coat of adhesive is applied on the entire surface except a very small portion 4. To one of said flaps 3 adheres a cover sheet made of either stiff paper or plastic. The small portion 4 without any adhesive provides a means to detach flaps 3 from cover sheet 5 more easily. The cover sheet 5 may adhere to a flap either at the top edge or at the right-hand edge of the greeting card.

The cover sheet 5 serves three purposes. First, it combines with the greeting card itself to become an envelope which covers and protects the inscription and picture on the greeting card during mailing. Secondly, it furnishes a place where the name and address of the recipient can be written. Finally, it provides a means to protect the adhesive on the flaps 3 in such a manner that when the cover sheet 5 is detached the adhesive on the flaps will not be weakened and can be used again.

Before mailing a greeting card, the sender must write on the card within the picture border lines 1 the names of the recipients, the senders and a message that the senders may wish to convey in addition to the inscription or picture already printed on it. Then the cover sheet 5 is pulled over the greeting card. The flaps 3 are folded at the greeting card s edges 2 and pressed on the cover sheet. The names and addresses of the recipients are written on the label 6 on the cover sheet 5 and the names and address of the senders are written on the printed lines 7 on flap 3. When this is completed, the greeting card is ready for mailing.

The recipient opens the greeting cards by gripping the small portions 4 of the flaps 3 with his thumb and forefinger and pulling the flaps one after another apart from the cover sheet 5 which will eventually be removed. Then the greeting cards thus received are either assembled into groups according to their shapes and sizes or all mixed together disregarding their shapes and sizes. By means of the adhesive on the flaps, greeting cards of the same shape and size may be glued together to form a mosaic composite sheet as shown in FIG. 10 and FIG. 11, and those with various shapes and sizes may be glued together at random to form a mosaic composite sheet as shown in FIG. 12.

In the first column of FIG. 10, before attaching the greeting cards ll, 12, 13 and 14 together, their bottom flaps 3 are cut off along the edges 2, except greeting card 14 which bottom flap will remain. Then the bottom folding lines of greeting cards ll, 12 and 13 which bottom flaps have been cut off will be juxtaposed against the top edges of greeting cards 12, 13 and 14 respectively. The top flaps 3 of greeting cards l2, l3 and 14 will be under the back of greeting cards 11, 12 and 13 and by means of the adhesive adhere to each other to form a vertical strip.

In the second column from the left in FIG. 10 the flaps 3 at the left-hand sides of greeting cards 15, 16, 17 and 18 and the bottom flaps 3 of greeting cards 15,

16 and 17 will be cut off along the edges 2. The edges at the left-hand sides of greeting cards 15, 16, 17 and 18 will be juxtaposed against the edges at the righthand sides of greeting cards 11, 12, 13 and 14 and the bottom edges of greeting cards 15, 16, and 17 will be juxtaposed against the top edges of greeting cards 16, 17 and 18. Then the right-hand flaps 3 of greeting cards 11, 12, 13 and 14 will be under the back of greeting cards 15, 16, 17 and 18 at the left, and the top flaps 3 of greeting cards 16, 17 and 18 will be under the back of greeting cards l5, l6 and 17 at the bottom. Then the eight greeting cards 11, 12, l3, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18 will adhere to each other to form a wider vertical strip. The same procedure will be repeated in the other column until the last column in FIG. 10 is completed.

The flaps 3 at the top and right-hand side of the greeting cards are always kept intact so the names and addresses of the senders can remain with the greeting cards forever. The left-hand side flaps 3 of the greeting cards in the first column and the bottom flaps 3 of the greeting cards in the bottom row are also kept intact. Thus, around the mosaic composite sheet there will be a series of protruding flaps on which a decorative band 8 may be mounted to serve as an ornamental border.

The method of assembling the square greeting cards of which the independent pictures are also the constituent parts of the large picture of the mosaic composite sheet shown in FIG. 11 is similar to the assembling method described above for the mosaic composite sheet shown in FIG. 10. The difference between the two methods lies on the manner of cutting off the flaps. The flaps of the greeting cards in FIG. 10 are cut off along the edges of the greeting cards while the flaps of the greeting cards in FIG. 11 are cut off along the picture border lines the bottom flaps 3 of greeting cards 31, 32, 33, 35, 36, 37, 39, 40, 41, 43, 44 and 45, and the flaps 3 at the left-hand sides of greeting cards 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45 and 46 will be cut off along the picture border lines 1. The picture border lines 1 at the bottom of greeting cards 31, 35, 39 and 43 will be juxtaposed against the picture border lines 1 at the top of greeting cards 32, 36, 40 and 44, whose bottom picture border lines 1 will in turn be juxtaposed against the top picture border lines 1 of greeting cards 33, 37, 41 and 45. The picture border lines 1 at the bottom of greeting cards 33, 37, 41 and 45 will be juxtaposed against the picture border lines 1 at the top of greeting cards 34, 38, 42 and 46. The picture border lines 1 at the left-hand sides of greeting cards 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45 and 46 will be juxtaposed against the picture border lines at the right-hand sides of greeting cards 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41 and 42 in that order respectively. With this arrangement the top flaps 3 of greeting cards 32, 36, 40, 44, 33, 37, 41, 45, 34, 38, 42 and 46 will be under the back at the lower part of greeting cards 31, 35, 39, 43, 32, 36, 40, 44, 33, 37, 41 and 45 respectively. In the same manner the flaps 3 at the right-hand sides of greeting cards 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41 and 42 will be under the back at the left side of greeting cards 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45 and 46 respectively. When the flaps 3 adhere to the back of the greeting cards by means of adhesive, a large mosaic composite sheet with one large integral picture is formed. This method can also be applied to sheets made of rectangular greeting cards whose pictures are the constituent parts of a larger picture.

The mosaic composite sheet shown in FIG. 12 is made with the same process as the sheet shown in FIG. except that the former is made up of greeting cards of different shapes and sizes while the latter is made up of greeting cards of the same shape and size.

The pictures printed upon the cards may be designed to suit specific events, such as Christmas, New Years, Easter, Thanksgiving, Birthday, Christening, Baptism, Wedding, Funeral, or the like. During the occasion, said mosaic composite sheets can be utilized as draperies, screens, tablecloths, bedspreads and decorative scrolls inside the home and worn by members of the families indoors and outdoors as scarves, headpieces, etc.

While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it is to be understood that these embodiments are capable of variation and modification and are not limited to the precise details set forth. Rather, they include such variations and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new is:

1. The method of forming a mosaic composite from a plurality of individual rectangular greeting cards, each of-said greeting cards including a picture bearing front or facing surface, a back surface and four folding flap elements, each of said flap elements extending outwardly from a different edge of said rectangular greeting card and being coated with pressure sensitive adhesive means on the front facing side thereof, a removable address bearing cover sheet of substantially the same as the front page of said greeting card and secured to such greeting card by the flap elements and thereby forming a self-contained mailer envelope with addresser information adapted to be impressed on to the back surface of at least one of said folded flap elements so as to be visible on said self-contained mailer envelope, said mosaic composite being formed by the following steps;

a. Unseal all the flap elements from the address hearing cover sheet thereby release the cover sheet from the mailer envelope,

b. Place the attached flap elements of adjacent exposed picture bearing surfaces in a visual orientation,

c. Remove one of adjacent flap elements and place the other adjacent flap element in subadjacent relationship with the other of said picture bearing surface,

d. Attach the picture bearing surfaces in abutting manner to each other by means of pressure sensitive adhesive on said subadjacent flap elements,

e. Repeat steps a to d for each additional greeting card to be assembled in the mosaic composite. l 

1. The method of forming a mosaic composite from a plurality of individual rectangular Greeting cards, each of said greeting cards including a picture bearing front or facing surface, a back surface and four folding flap elements, each of said flap elements extending outwardly from a different edge of said rectangular greeting card and being coated with pressure sensitive adhesive means on the front facing side thereof, a removable address bearing cover sheet of substantially the same as the front page of said greeting card and secured to such greeting card by the flap elements and thereby forming a selfcontained mailer envelope with addresser information adapted to be impressed on to the back surface of at least one of said folded flap elements so as to be visible on said self-contained mailer envelope, said mosaic composite being formed by the following steps; a. Unseal all the flap elements from the address bearing cover sheet thereby release the cover sheet from the mailer envelope, b. Place the attached flap elements of adjacent exposed picture bearing surfaces in a visual orientation, c. Remove one of adjacent flap elements and place the other adjacent flap element in subadjacent relationship with the other of said picture bearing surface, d. Attach the picture bearing surfaces in abutting manner to each other by means of pressure sensitive adhesive on said subadjacent flap elements, e. Repeat steps a to d for each additional greeting card to be assembled in the mosaic composite. 